by Ken Quintanilla
Guam - Hoping to ensure that the island's utilities are made
available to the people of Guam as affordably
and reliably as possible, the Consolidated Commission on Utilities meets this
hour to discuss several matters specifically with the Guam Power Authority. CCU
chairman Simon Sanchez tells KUAM News that tonight GPA management will submit
its recommendation to pursue liquid natural gas as an alternative to oil.
"LNG is much cleaner, and it doesn't require the scrubbers
and it works well in terms of affordability and in terms of protecting the air
quality for Guam," he said, "and
that's why I believe it's the leading recommendation and I'm pretty sure we're
going to approve it tonight."
He says if approved, GPA would build a new power plant in the next
five to seven years that would accommodate LNG with full implementation before
the end of the decade. Sanchez adds LNG would save over a billion dollars over
the next 30 years.
The CCU meanwhile will also discuss its idea of allowing
ratepayers to opt out of its smart meters project and the possible fees that
may be involved. And finally, after its successful refinancing last month, GPA
will approve the rollback of its may rate increase that would give back about $9
million and hopefully take affect December 1 pending the PUC final approval.
